


Bump In the Night

by eerian_sadow



Series: Sparkeaters and Other Walking Dead [8]
Category: Transformers (Bay Movies), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Community: spook_me, Gen, Sparkeaters, severe phobias, soul vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:54:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27320803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eerian_sadow/pseuds/eerian_sadow
Summary: After Ironhide awakened, Sideswipe devoloped an incredible fear of Sparkeaters. It expresses itself as extreme protectiveness for the team's most vulnerable member.
Relationships: Ratchet & Sideswipe
Series: Sparkeaters and Other Walking Dead [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/18217
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16
Collections: Spook Me Ficathon 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A series of short fics written for the Spook Me ficathon. My monster was vampires and my photo prompt was this:   
> -40- by Veronika Kozlova
> 
> https://images34.fotki.com/v1522/photos/6/3814576/16181654/ikakozlovavampir_jpg1578865824-vi.jpg

“What are you doing?” Ratchet glanced at Sideswipe as the silver mech followed Ironhide though the door to take up a guard position near the surgical tools he used exclusively on the Sparkeaters. Sideswipe’s swords were drawn and his face was pulled down into a frown as Ironhide settled down on a berth for his tune up. 

“I’m not leaving you alone with Ironhide. Or Jazz.” The younger mech’s arm twitched up toward his chest for a moment, and his hand would have rested over his spark if he hadn’t had his swords drawn. 

Ratchet remembered treating that particular injury vividly. “He’s not going to try and eat me.”

“Prove it.” Sideswipe stared at him defiantly. 

“Let him be, Ratchet.” Ironhide’s voice was a soft rumble that sounded vaguely unsure. “It makes us both feel better if he’s here, anyway.”

Ratchet wasn’t sure it made _him_ feel any better, but if Ironhide wanted Sideswipe to stay, then he could stay. “Fine. but don’t get too close when I start flushing his lines.”

“I won’t.” Sideswipe settled back into place, though Ratchet couldn’t help but notice his occasional twitches as the silver mech watched.


	2. Chapter 2

“Slag! move!” 

Ratchet heard the cry but he didn’t realize it was aimed in his direction until a body hit his side and knocked him to the ground. He was peering up at Sideswipe in confusion when the Sparkeater, jaws open wide and feeders extended, flew into him and began tearing at the silver mech’s chest. 

Sideswipe shrieked, an energon-chilling sound filled with as much panic as rage, and reached for the Sparkeater’s face. Ratchet’s optics went wide as the younger mech grabbed the Sparkeater’s feeders, and he had a moment to wish that he wasn’t pinned to the ground under their combined weight as Sideswipe began to pull.

“Don’t!” Bumblebee’s voice was a welcome reprieve from the horror as the Sparkeater’s feeders pulled loose and ichor began dripping down its face. A moment later, a well-aimed cannon shot obliterated its head and knocked its body off of them. “Primus, Sideswipe. You don’t want it’s fluids in your internals.”

Sideswipe looked away from the feeders still clenched in his fist. His optics were haunted as they met Ratchet’s. “You okay, doc?”

“Thanks to you, yes. But Bumblebee is right. Let me sit up, so that I can clean those cuts.”

Sideswipe nodded, shakily. Then he scooted off of Ratchet’s legs so that the medic could sit up.

“Are there others in the area?” He asked as he pulled out a bottle of disinfectant.

“No.” Bumblebee stepped closer, cannon still active. “Jazz said he got the other one a few minutes ago. Some Cons up north, though.”

“Keep your optics open then. Sideswipe won’t be good for much until these are sealed.”

“I can still fight,” Sideswipe growled, but it lacked his usual strength.

“I didn’t say you couldn’t. But i don’t want you in the field with open wounds.” Not this close to Jazz, anyway. 

“Right.” Sideswipe looked away. “You wouldn’t let me… I don’t want to become one of them.”

Ratchet paused and looked at the silver mech until Sideswipe managed to meet his optics. “I know, Sideswipe. I won’t let it happen.”

He hoped it would be a promise that he could always keep.


	3. Chapter 3

“I don’t think that Sideswipe should stay on Sparkeater patrols.”

Optimus tilted his head, obviously only mildly surprised by the statement. “Is that your opinion as his medic or as his friend?”

“Both. It’s not helping him to be out there, and in my professional opinion, it _is_ hurting him. He’s had a phobia ever since Ironhide fed on him, not that I blame him, and trying to clean up the infestation that Starscream left us is doing permanent damage to his mental state. I would like to get him off of Cybertron completely, but we both know he won’t go.”

“No, he will not. What do you suggest his new assignment be? There are few places he can go where he won’t be exposed to Jazz or Ironhide.”

“You’re right, there aren’t many.” Ratchet sighed. “But he won’t leave me alone with either of them, either, so you might as well assign him to medical. Ironhide’s been complaining about our lack of bodyguards again, anyway.”

“Are you sure that’s wise, old friend?”

“No. But I also don’t know if there’s a better option right now.” 

“Then I will deliver his new orders in person. Then, at least, he will be angry with me instead of you.”


End file.
